Catch of the Day
by Takara Phoenix
Summary: Percy is a merboy and a prince. As a child, he got captured by sailors who planned on selling him on a market. Nico is a feared pirate, captain of the Tartarus. When they raided a ship years ago, he found a young merboy and freed him. Now, years later, the merboy returns the favor and saves Nico's life. Nico/Percy slash Nicercy


PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || Catch of the Day || Nicercy || PJatO || Nicercy || PJatO

Title: Catch of the Day – The Terrible Thirteen of the Tartarus

Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus; AU

Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Rick Riordan for he created the awesomeness that is Nico di Angelo. And everything else related to Percy Jackson and the Olympians / Heroes of Olympus. Aside from the Gods, they belong to the old Greeks. This fanfiction and its OCs on the other hand are entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Warnings: shounen-ai, fluff, yearning, mermen, shoujo-ai, hetero

Main Pairing: Nico/Percy

Side Pairings: Frank/Hazel/Leo, Reyna/Annabeth, Chris/Clarisse, Ethan/Alabaster

Percy Jackson Characters: Perseus Jackson, Nico di Angelo, Leo Valdez, Hazel Levesque, Frank Zhang, Annabeth Chase, Reyna Avila Ramírez-Arellano, Clarisse la Rue, Chris Rodriguez, Jason Grace, Ethan Nakamura, Alabaster Torrington, Lou Ellen, Will Solace, Cecil Rogers

Summary: The Ghost King is the most dangerous pirate there is. Not that that means anything to the merman prince Percy, who spends quite some time stalking the fascinating black-sailed ship called the Tartarus. He is especially fascinated by its captain...

**Catch of the Day**

_The Terrible Thirteen of the Tartarus_

Captain Nico di Angelo, better known as the Ghost King, was the most feared pirate on all of the seven seas. Whole kingdoms trembled at the sight of his ship, the Tartarus. Its sails were so black, they seemed to suck all light out of the surrounding areas. The thirteen members of its crew were strong, fierce and merciless. When they saw something they wanted, they took it and kept it.

Or so humans would describe them.

To one little merman prince, all of this seemed to be quite the different story however. Six years ago, Prince Perseus of Atlantis had been captured by sailors who kept poking and prodding him, determined to sell him to the highest bidder...

/flashback – Six Years Ago\

Eleven years old Perseus of Atlantis was just a guppy in their terms. All bright, sparkling green eyes, still slightly chubby cheeks. His blue tail wasn't all too strong, which was why he had gotten captured by sailors. They kept poking him with sticks, pulling on his fins and laughing at him. He didn't understand. They said they wanted to sell him, but he was a sentient being. Why would they sell a living creature? Who would _buy_ him? And for what?

But then came the fire and the screams. Gun-shots – he had heard those terrible sounds before and seen what happened when those sounds occurred, how they ripped the human body apart at places and caused the red fluids inside to spill. Fear spread throughout the young prince's being, especially when everything went strangely silent. Then voices, cheerful, loud voices. And footsteps.

"Captain! We found something!"

Percy was startled at the two human females who stood in the doorway. A tall one with dark hair in a broad braid, having one arm around a slightly smaller one will broad, long golden curls. Frightened, he pressed himself into the corner of the glass-case he was stuck in. At the out-call of the females, another one entered. This one was male and taller, his skin a rich, sandy color, the eyes dark and deep and on his head a mop of messy, black curls. The broad head with the blood-red feather sticking to it was all the sign Percy needed to know this was the captain. He had spend enough time watching human ships and how they worked. The captain was like the king of the ship.

"Interesting...", commented the captain curiously as he approached the tank.

"D—Don't hurt me!", warned Percy, trying to look and sound brave.

The captain laughed and took one of his black leather gloves off. The olive-skinned hand reached out to cup his cheek and Percy found himself forced to look into the pirate's eyes.

"He's only a babe", commented the blonde softly. "Poor little thing..."

"Your compassion is what makes you a bad pirate, Annabeth", chuckled the dark-haired girl.

She ran one hand through Annabeth's hair in an intimate gesture, making the blonde blush.

"She's right though, Reyna", stated the captain and also shed his other glove. "And we don't have any need for a babe like him. His parents however will be quite grateful to get him back, mh?"

Percy yelped as he was lifted out of the water and pressed up against a chest. He soaked the dark beige shirt and the dark brown leather vest, but the pirate apparently didn't care.

"W—Where are y—you bringing me?", asked Percy frightened.

"Back to the sea. When I started fishing, my father told me to throw the little ones back in and wait for a bigger catch", smirked the captain teasingly. "I'll catch you again when you're older."

Percy blushed embarrassed when the pirate placed an innocent kiss on the tip of his nose before setting him down on the rail from where Percy could easily slip back into the sea.

/flashback|end\

No human had ever shown more kindness to Percy and due to his adventurous and kind nature, he had encountered many of those. Sailors he had saved from wrecked ships, whole ships he had lured away from dangerous depths and to the saver sides of the sea, playing children at the shore. So one could say that Percy had developed a kind of obsession with the black-sailed ship. Its figurehead was a skeleton angel, the wings spread out along the rail, eyes of fist-sized rubies. The flag was a skull, also with red eyes, but with three parallel laying bones behind it instead of the regular two crossed bones. Percy followed the ship, whenever he spotted it. He watched how the nice human had grown into a handsome man. A well-trimmed beard ran along the captain's chin, more a line that showed his sharp cheekbones and jawline. The messy dark curls were tied together in the man's neck, his leather boots heavy and his attired nicely filled out by muscles. His name was Nico di Angelo – and truly, how could a man with a name like an angel be anything but good? Apparently, the man was twelve years Percy's senior. An adult, but not an old adult, so that had been a relief for Percy. Even though Percy wasn't sure _why_ he was relieved by that.

Percy also knew the rest of the crew. By name and how their relationships were, because over the years, he had watched closely and whenever the ship would rest, he'd swim close by and listen to their conversations and singing, the happiness they radiated as they celebrated a raid.

The black-haired woman Percy had met six years ago was named Reyna and she was the captain's first mate and most trusted adviser and friend. She was beautiful and fierce and she was romantically involved with the pretty blonde with the curls – Annabeth.

Annabeth was the cartographer and strategist of the ship. She was brilliant and practically always reading those things called books. Percy was fascinated by the concept. Putting information down so others could grasp it without someone having to relay it. Amazing.

One of the cooks was apparently the captain's younger sister, a pretty girl with golden eyes by the name of Hazel. She was dating the other cook, a very broad and tall man called Frank. He looked quite intimidating, but he seemed to be a kind soul, especially when Hazel was close by.

There was even a doctor on the ship, a flirtatious blonde named Will. Percy didn't like when the blonde came close to the captain, he was far too touchy-feely with the captain!

The others on the ship either had no specific designation or Percy had yet to discover them. There was Jason, a blonde man with a scar on his lip, who liked to spend much time in the crow's nest or swinging on the ropes when they keeled over a ship. The fiercest of the bunch however was the brunette female by the name of Clarisse. She also had quite the foul mouth if she wanted to. Her boyfriend Chris was quite the opposite. He was calm, though he seemed to enjoy playing pranks on his fellow crew-mates when they spend too much time in calm water. One of the younger crew-members liked to help him with those, albeit less precise with his pranks, Cecil could cook up quite the schemes too. When not helping Chris with pranks, he often was send out on missions with Lou, a short, wicked girl. The last two members of the crew were Lou's older brother Alabaster and Alabaster's boyfriend Ethan, who had an eye-patch like a proper pirate.

"Percy! You shouldn't spend so much time with your head out of the water!"

Blinking slowly, Percy turned toward his best and only friend. His name was Leo and Leo was awesome. Percy was a blue-tailed and blue-skinned merboy, but Leo was all red and firey. He had some orange and where the thin skin spread between his fins, it was such a delicate yellow that it nearly sparkled golden. He was very beautiful, with his large almond eyes and the wild curls.

"There's not much else where I can be", muttered Percy upset as he swam down to Leo.

Which was the truth. Atlantis no longer existed. When the young prince had been kidnapped by the sailors six years ago, it had in a way saved his life. A riot had overthrown the royal family. The vicious sea-witch Hera with her tentacles had lulled the people in, managed to blame everything bad happening to the realm on the royal family. When Percy had returned to the palace, it had laid in ruins and everyone was gone. Only the kitchen boy had managed to hide. That was how Leo and Percy had first met. Leo had been ecstatic to learn that at least one member of their royal family was still alive, but he was also worried – they needed to keep Percy save.

Since then, the two merboys had been on the run. Hiding from the witch who had declared herself the new queen. As long as she and Zeus ruled from their new palace on the cliff of Olympus, Percy had to fear for his life under the sea. So he swam and swam and swam.

Whenever he and Leo found some rest in a cave, a fish afraid of the queen's punishment would rattle them out to the new royal guard and they had to leave again. The only constant in Percy's life anymore were Leo and the Tartarus. He took solace in the ship.

/break\

Hazel smiled amused as she and Frank served dinner, just like every night. She loved their little family of misfits and outlaws. They had started out small – Bianca, Nico, Hazel, Jason and Reyna. On the run and on their own. But when their older sister had been killed by the government for thieving. Where the band of five had only taken what was necessary to survive for five orphans, thing took a different turn after Bianca's death.

They became pirates and they took whatever they wanted. Their family grew with that.

On a long journey to the other side of their continent, they had encountered Frank and Ethan, in different realms of the same landmass. Hazel soon found love in the kind cook.

"Now, what kind of treasure are we headed for this time?", asked Ethan, his voice casual.

He was sitting on one side of Nico, while Reyna sat on Nico's other side. Alabaster next to Ethan was leaning against the Japanese's side, one of Ethan's arms around Alabaster's waist.

Alabaster and Lou were two 'witches', bound to die on a pyre when the crew had gone to explore the New World. They didn't let it happen – Nico couldn't watch the innocent die, not after his sister's horrible passing. So they had taken the accused witches into their family.

"Somewhere where there are pretty girls to ravish!", called Alabaster's sister Lou out, grinning.

"Always after the booty, never after the booty", snickered Cecil, elbowing Lou.

"We need supplies soon", interrupted Will, looking at the teenagers in a chiding manner.

"Ah, yes. The kitchen could use some new spices", added Hazel thoughtful.

"Maybe some more dried flesh", stated Frank as he finally too got to sit down.

"If we're talking flesh and spices, I could use some too", mused Alabaster.

So perhaps he and his sister hadn't been just accused of witchcraft. Hazel was pretty sure both did possess some magic. Annabeth stole some of Reyna's bacon as she tilted her head at them.

"Ink and perhaps a few new feathers", said the blonde softly.

"So basically, we're planning a shopping trip, or what?", grunted Clarisse irritated.

"We could get you some nice new swords, love", suggested Chris amused, kissing her.

"Mh, and ammo", nodded Clarisse, pacified by her boyfriend. "Okay, fine. Shopping it is."

"And who knows, maybe the fish market has a pretty, little mermaid for Nico", said Jason teasingly.

Nico put his flask of rum down to stare at the blonde and roll his eyes. Hazel's eyes wandered to the tattoo on Nico's left upper arm. A mermaid, one would think, but she was lacking the breasts. It was a merboy, with a delicate figure, black hair flying around the face. The merboy was a soft shade of blue and the eyes were a piercing green. Six years ago, they had encountered the first and only merboy in their whole career as pirates. Only a child back then, but Nico swore he sometimes saw those eyes in the water, the fleeting image of a delicate beauty. It was an unhealthy obsession, but Hazel allowed it for now. Because as much as Nico seemed fixated on the idea of this merboy being their guardian angel, it hadn't harmed any of them so far. She just hoped it wouldn't grow any more.

"Very funny, Jason. I think you'll clean up tonight", stated Nico with a smirk.

The blonde groaned while all others snickered.

/break\

"Percy, the weather is bad", stated a red-scaled merboy irritated.

"Uhu", agreed Percy from where the two of them were lounging on a stone.

"We should probably get back", requested his best friend.

"Don't worry so much, Leo", huffed Percy and rolled his eyes.

Leo just growled softly and glared at the prince. It wasn't his fault that Percy did such concerning and dangerous things! Of course Leo worried! Percy was the only he could worry about, after all.

"You yearn too much for the sun", stated Leo with a stern glare.

"I just want to check on my human one last time before we return", requested Percy with large eyes.

"A storm is brewing", countered Leo as he pushed off the stone.

"Exactly", agreed Percy, nodding slowly. "Storms are dangerous for humans. I don't want my human damaged, Leo. Please? Just a short check-up. They surely already arrived at the harbor."

"Okay, okay, okay. Who am I to deny you?", sighed Leo defeated.

Percy perked up and kissed his best friend's cheek. Leo flushed a little. And maybe he was being a bit curious himself. The two cooks were so fascinating. While Percy stared at the captain all the time, Leo spend his time looking through the kitchen's window, watching how the broad, tall male and the golden-eyed female danced with each other. Well, they cooked. But they worked so well together, it looked more like they danced. So enchanting.

/break\

It had been supposed to be a simple trip, to the next shore to get the junk they all needed. But then they got hit by a storm – and everything after it was black for Nico.

Not so much for Percy, because he, who he had been swimming along the Tartarus, had witnessed it all. How they tried to fight against the vicious storm and how their beloved captain went overboard, but with the way the waves rippled and how the crew had to focus on the storm, they had no time to look for Nico and by the time they could look for him, their captain was long gone, carried away by the stream. Percy's tail flickered fast as he followed the unconscious human and dragged him to the nearest, not occupied shore. But the human wouldn't wake. Concerned, Percy started to hit him.

"Don't die", warned the merman upset, hitting Nico's chest hard.

Suddenly, the captain started coughing up water. Percy was so startled, he completely forgot to return to the sea. He had made sure not to be seen by the humans again ever since he had become the ship's personal stalker, but he was far too stunned to think about hiding.

Nico groaned as his lungs and throat burned. His head hurt too, he had hit it on the rail before going overboard. After that, nothing. He had been sure death had embraced him then. It should have, because during a violent storm like this, there was no way he could have made it on his own. His eyes fluttered open slowly, expecting to see his ship and crew. They must have caught up with him, pulled him up at the last minute. But instead, there was this beautiful face hovering above him. Blue-tinted skin, sea-green eyes, black hair decorated with blue pearls and purple shells.

"My guardian angel", whispered Nico in awe.

The sea-green eyes widened and the merboy looked startled. Nico groaned and sat up some, surprised to see a sleek, blue tail flipping nervously in the shallow water. A merman. How strange, the tales he had heard – and he had heard a lot for he had gathered all the information about those captivating creatures ever since his first encounter with one – rather suggested that merfolk liked to kill humans. Frowning a little, he stretched a hand out, holding the merboy's face by the chin.

"You're the one I let go", stated the captain stunned. "So you _are_ real. You weren't a piece of my imagination that followed me around. My crew said I was going crazy when I claimed to have seen you around our ship. But... you were there. And now you saved me."

Percy nodded shyly, staring into those dark eyes. "You saved my life once. I wanted to return the favor. I... I have been watching your ship, Captain di Angelo, yes. You are so... strange. You were the first human to show such kindness to me. I just... couldn't stop thinking about you."

"Something we have in common then", chuckled Nico with a wry smile. "I never stopped thinking about you either. You were the first mer... uhm... person I ever saw."

Turning his head, Percy looked at the water, yearning for the sea and to get away from this very embarrassing and awkward situation. But before he could make for a quick escape, two strong arms wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him against the strong chest he had dreamed about so many nights by now. Flushing a bright purple, Percy looked up at Nico surprised.

"I—I... should go", stammered Percy unsure.

"Like hell you will", grunted Nico with a glare. "I told you back then, I only let you go to catch you again when you are older. Granted, I hadn't planned on using _myself_ as bait..."

Percy's eyebrows knitted confused at that. "B—But you set me free before... You wouldn't sell me now that I'm older, would you...? I thought you were different..."

"I'm not going to _sell_ you", huffed the captain, capturing Percy's face with one hand once again, caressing Percy's cheek in a soothing manner. "Will you tell me your name, gorgeous?"

"P—Prince Perseus of Atlantis", mumbled Percy, blush darkening. "But nowadays I'm just Percy..."

"Nowadays?", inquired Nico curiously, continuing his caress.

"My kingdom fell", shrugged Percy, averting his eyes sadly. "I'm the last member of the royal family. I'm... kind of on the run from the new rulers who took over and slaughtered my family..."

"Then it _is_ decided", stated Nico firmly, laying his other arm back around Percy's waist.

"Decided?", asked Percy confused, tilting his head.

"I _will_ keep you", declared the Italian. "I will not let you go back somewhere dangerous."

Percy opened his mouth to protest when voices rang out. A yelp escaped Percy's lips as Nico shifted and got up, holding tightly to the Sea Prince until he was carrying him bridal style. The Tartarus laid not too far away and Reyna, Clarisse and Ethan were running toward them.

/break\

Hazel was exhausted and panicked. Her big brother had just been thrown overboard, but she was too busy helping Lou and Annabeth securing the sail. Saving the ship and themselves pushed itself in front of her mind and she tried not to think about it. Only once the Tartarus was steady again and the sky cleared did she break together. She collapsed against the rail, fingers clawing around the wood. Tears streamed down her cheeks at the prospect of losing another sibling.

"Please don't cry, pretty pirate-girl."

Looking startled through the wooden bars, she came face to face with a cute, impish, caramel-skinned face. There was a red tint to the skin and at first, Hazel thought the boy was blushing, but then she noticed the fins on his arms and the scales. A merboy. Her eyes widened stunned. He looked nervous, eyes flickering back to the ocean as though he regretted emerging.

"H—Hello", said Hazel hastily to keep him from leaving. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you", mumbled the merboy, his skin turning a darker red, this time in a blush.

"What are you doing here?", asked Hazel softly and reached out for him.

"Your captain stole something very important to me", replied the merboy.

"Oh...", nodded Hazel, fingertips touching soft scales. "What did he steal?"

"The heart of my best friend", answered the red-skinned boy, tilting his head. "Please stop it."

"Uhm, sorry", mumbled Hazel embarrassed and pulled her hand away.

"No, not the touching!", said Leo hastily, shaking his head. "The crying, I mean. Please stop crying. It makes me upset to see you cry. You laugh so beautifully."

"How do you know what I look like when I laugh?", asked Hazel confused.

"My... best friend is a little bit obsessed with your captain and I worry about him so I trail after him", admitted the embarrassed merboy. "I saw you before. You and your mate dance beautifully."

"Dance? Mate?", asked Hazel, now even more confused.

"Him", nodded Leo, pointing past Hazel at the completely frozen and stunned Frank.

"There's a merboy hanging off our ship", observed Frank, blinking a couple times.

"Yes. That's—Oh. What's your name?", inquired Hazel as she turned from one to the other.

"I'm Leo", introduced the merboy himself. "You're Hazel. And your mate's name is Frank."

"We have a merman-stalker...", muttered Frank and sat down next to Hazel.

"Two", chimed Leo amused, tilting his head. "I just wanted to tell your mate to stop crying. Her brother is alright. My best friend saved the captain of this ship."

"Oh!", exclaimed Hazel, relief and happiness fluting her.

Leo yelped a little as two arms went through the bars and hugged him tightly. Frank grunted as he observed the awkward hug, shaking his head. He had never seen something so special. A merboy.

"You say you have a friend and he saved Nico?", asked Frank worried.

"Yes", nodded Leo. "If your mate lets go of me, I can lead you to them."

"Oh, thank you, pretty, little merboy!", said Hazel and kissed his cheek.

Leo blushed furiously as he freed himself from her grasp and jumped back into the ocean.

/break\

Nico and Percy were sitting in the captain's cabin as they listened to Frank, Hazel and Leo retelling how the crew had found them. Leo and Percy were sharing a large wooden bucket that normally served as the crew's bathtub. They squirmed, their tails flapping around awkwardly.

"Thank you, Leo", said Nico honestly. "You saved me a lot of trouble."

"No problem", replied Leo, half sitting on Percy's lap. "No, this really isn't working."

"Yeah, not really", mumbled Percy as he had one of Leo's elbows in his face. "Out you go."

With that, he pushed his friend out of the tub. Frank wanted to protest, because the cute red merboy needed saltwater too. But before he had a chance to, Leo just stood up. His tail parted into two legs, still with the red tint to it and some occasional scales. The fins remained too, but otherwise, he looked like a normal, naked human. Frank blushed darkly and held a hand under his bleeding nose.

"Y—You...", stammered Hazel stunned as she untied the silken cloth wrapped around her waist.

She then proceeded to lay it around him, hiding his body from the horny gaze of her boyfriend. Leo blinked confused before turning concerned eyes on Frank, tilting his head some.

"Why is your mate bleeding?", asked Leo worried. "Is he hurt?"

"He's aroused, Leo", chided Percy and rolled his eyes as he too climbed out of the tub. "Can't you see the bulge in his pants? You didn't pay enough attention when we studied humans."

"Oh. Why are you aroused?", asked Leo curiously, looking intensely at Frank.

Percy rolled his eyes again, holding onto Nico's arm for support. "Ah, not used to the legs."

"You have legs", stated Nico, staring at the long, blue-tinted legs.

"As slow and oblivious as Leo", muttered Percy amused. "Yes. We're not bound to the sea. We can walk the shore. Not, well, forever. We need to return to seawater at least once a day though."

Nico shook himself out of his trance and shrugged out of his shirt before helping Percy into it. "You are not walking around naked on this ship. I don't need my crew to die of blood-loss."

Percy smiled gratefully at the captain, sniffing the shirt that smelt like Nico. "Thank you. But Leo and I really should get going. We have to go a long way ahead of us due to this delay..."

"W—What?", stammered Leo, giving him the same crestfallen look as Frank, Hazel and Nico. "We can't leave! I—I mean, you just saved your human after you watched him from afar for so long! C—Can't we stay a little longer so you can talk to your human some more?"

"Your human?", inquired Nico, cocking one eyebrow.

"Yes, you", nodded Percy with a bright smile. "You're my human."

"Well, if I'm your human, then it's decided. You will stay", stated Nico calmly. "I told you I will not let you slip away again. I can't let you go back to a sea where you're in danger, after all."

"I don't know", sighed Percy, looking playfully doubtful. "I mean, Leo has been protesting for years now about this, about approaching your ship. I wouldn't want to abandon him-"

"He can stay!", chorused Frank and Hazel, before they turned to look at Nico with puppy-eyes.

"Of course he can stay too", nodded Nico, mildly amused.

"Well, then... I would like to get to know you better, my human", whispered Percy softly.

With one absentminded motion, Nico managed to get Frank, Leo and Hazel out of his cabin. Percy, still wobbly on his legs, collapsed against Nico's chest. The captain smiled amused, his arms once again around the slim waist as he tried to steer the merman over to his bed where both rather gracelessly collapsed on top of. Percy huffed, hands on Nico's chest.

"I'm not that kind of merman", protested Percy teasingly. "You don't get me into your bed after one date. And saving your life is actually not the kind of date I swing for."

"Neither do I. I'd like to skip the nearly-dieing part", smiled Nico amused, caressing Percy's hair. "You're a cheeky one. You just manipulated your friend into staying here, didn't you?"

"I think your cooks did most of the work there", whispered Percy with a smile. "Now kiss me."

"Demanding", noted Nico, one hand resting in Percy's neck as he pulled him down.

Their lips met in a soft kiss, the kind Percy had been fantasizing about for years now. His fingers curled into Nico's hair, tugging a little as they deepened their kiss. The merboy smiled softly.

"I wanted to do this for a long time", admitted Percy breathlessly.

"So did I", whispered Nico, smiling against Percy's lips. "My little merboy."

_~*~ The End ~*~_


End file.
